Finalists for CEU chancellor announced

Cory Duckworth has been heading up the transition team this past year at CEU, and presently works at Utah Valley University.

Joe Peterson is presently vice president for instruction at Salt Lake Community College and has worked for Utah State before.

Two finalists have been selected for the chancellor position of the newly formed Utah State University-College of Eastern Utah. They will each make public presentations in early April.

The candidates are Cory L. Duckworth, vice president for Student Affairs at Utah Valley University, and Joe Peterson, vice president for Instruction at Salt Lake Community College.

Duckworth will present in Price, April 7, 11 a.m. on the CEU campus and again at CEU at 5 p.m. in an open meeting with the community. He will be interviewing on the San Juan Campus, in Blanding, April 6.

Peterson will present in Price, April 13, 11:30 a.m. on the CEU campus and again at CEU at 5 p.m. in an open meeting with the community. He will be interviewing on the San Juan Campus, in Blanding, April 12.

Duckworth was selected by Utah Higher Education Commissioner William A. Sederburg to oversee the transition of the USU-CEU merger last October. He began his career in higher education in 1985 as an instructor of political science and pre-law advisor at Southern Utah University. He went on to head up university development and advancement divisions at SUU, Minot State University, St. Cloud State University, Utah Valley University and Ferris State University before returning to UVU in 2003.

Duckworth received a juris doctorate from the University of Utah College of Law and a master's degree at the U of U with an emphasis in American constitutional institutions, public administration and organizational behavior. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from USU.

Peterson began his career in 1982 as an instructor of English at USU. He went on to Dixie State College as a faculty member prior to becoming dean of arts, letters and science at Dixie and then interim academic vice president and vice president of student services before taking on his current duties at SLCC.

Peterson received a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Nevada, a master's degree in English from Brigham Young University as well as a bachelor's degree in English from BYU.

Duckworth said in his letter to the search committee that the new USU-CEU is a vital institution for all of Utah. He said he is energized by what he sees as an extremely bright future that builds upon a distinguished history of service to students and the regional community. He said USU-CEU will play a critical role as an educational, cultural and economic driver for the cities of Price and Blanding and the entire southeastern region of Utah.

"I am confident that my background and preparation would be a strong asset in leading this new entity as it addresses the full range of challenges and opportunities that lie ahead," he said.

Peterson said in his letter to the search committee that his teaching and administrative experience and biography is serendipitous in his candidacy as the first chancellor of USU-CEU. He was born in Monticello and grew up in Price. His father was a history professor at CEU and dean of instruction prior to becoming a USU history professor for two decades before retiring.